South China Sea shipwrecks
Encyclopedia
The South China Sea shipwrecks are two shipwrecks discovered in the South China Sea
. The shipwrecks may yield important archaeological evidence about the marine Silk Road
trade route
linking ancient China
with the Western world
.
South China Sea-I was discovered in 1987 and is the marine Silk Road area. It dates back to the Song Dynasty
era (960-1279).
A few days after South China Sea I began to be excavated in early June 2007, a second wreck, named South China Sea-II was discovered using satellite navigation. The official Xinhua
news agency
cited Guangdong
archaeologists
and said the wreck was 7 to 18 m long and at a depth of 20 m, and also cited preliminary studies showing the ship shows it may have sunk after hitting a reef
around the early 17th century. Over 300 pieces of porcelain
, including bowls, plates, pots and bottles, were recovered from this wreck.
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
. The shipwrecks may yield important archaeological evidence about the marine Silk Road
Silk Road
The Silk Road or Silk Route refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa...
trade route
Trade route
A trade route is a logistical network identified as a series of pathways and stoppages used for the commercial transport of cargo. Allowing goods to reach distant markets, a single trade route contains long distance arteries which may further be connected to several smaller networks of commercial...
linking ancient China
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
with the Western world
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
.
South China Sea-I was discovered in 1987 and is the marine Silk Road area. It dates back to the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
era (960-1279).
A few days after South China Sea I began to be excavated in early June 2007, a second wreck, named South China Sea-II was discovered using satellite navigation. The official Xinhua
Xinhua News Agency
The Xinhua News Agency is the official press agency of the government of the People's Republic of China and the biggest center for collecting information and press conferences in the PRC. It is the largest news agency in the PRC, ahead of the China News Service...
news agency
News agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...
cited Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
archaeologists
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
and said the wreck was 7 to 18 m long and at a depth of 20 m, and also cited preliminary studies showing the ship shows it may have sunk after hitting a reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
around the early 17th century. Over 300 pieces of porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
, including bowls, plates, pots and bottles, were recovered from this wreck.